Spatial Scale Analysis of Soil Water Content in Agricultural Soils of the Nitra River Catchment (Slovakia)

Determining the soil water content (SWC) in a soil profile is very important task for agriculture and also for a wider ecological context. The spatial and temporal variability of SWC is a elementary issue for agricultural practice, irrigation management, or landscape management globally. Various methods are used for obtaining the SWC data. Every method has some advantages and also disadvantages. Many of them are focused only on one dimension but modern precise agriculture needs the information about SWC in spatial scale. This study is focused on the spatial scale analysis of SWC in the Nitra river catchment for years 2013 and 2014. The HYDRUS 1D hydrological model and GIS tools were used for the creation maps of SWC. Combination of the measured and simulated data was used for the creation of the unique spatial maps of soil moisture in 0–30 and 30–60 cm soil horizons. Validation of our method shows trustworthy results. Soil water storage and fulfillment of maximum soil water storage were analysed with using the created maps

Quantification of soil water storage available to plants in the Nitra River basin

Soil water storage is systematically studied by expert from various scientific disciplines. This increased interest is mainly due to anthropogenic activities of human beings, but also due to activities of natural processes influencing the dynamics and amount of water in this water resource. The aim of this study is determination of amount of plants available soil water in the Nitra river basin for year 2013. Water storage was calculated in periods from January to March, from April to August and from October to December. Available soil water storage was determined as a difference between actual soil moisture and a hydrolimit limited water availability. Measured soil moisture was interpolated on base of point values from the net of hydrological stations in basin. Retention curves were used to calculation of limited water availability. Available soil water storage was the highest in first period (273.89 mm). In period from May to August was lower (194.32 mm) and in last period was only 152.14 mm

Changes in Vegetation Period Length in Slovakia under the Conditions of Climate Change for 1931–2110

The global mean near-surface temperature between 2012 and 2021 was 1.11 to 1.14 °C warmer than the pre-industrial level. This makes it the warmest period on record. The aim of this article was to investigate vegetation period changes (onset and termination of the temperature T ≥ 5 °C, T ≥ 10 °C, and T ≥ 15 °C) due to climate change from the average air temperature for the periods 1931–1961, 1961–1991, and 1991–2020 for 24 stations in Slovakia and forecast the length of vegetation periods for the periods 2021–2050, 2051–2080, and 2081–2110. The number of days with these characteristic temperatures was used as an input dataset, from which map outputs were generated in ArcGIS software. Spatial analysis of the vegetation periods in the past, present, and future showed an earlier start of the vegetation period in spring and a later ending in autumn during the last 30 years. The maximum duration of the vegetation period will expand from the south to the north of Slovakia. Future scenarios showed an extension of the vegetation period duration. On the other hand, this potential advantage for crop cultivation is limited by a lack of arable land in the north of Slovakia and by a lack of precipitation in the south of Slovakia

Changes in the Agroclimatic Areas of Slovakia in 1961–2020

The World Meteorological Organisation predicts an increase in average annual temperature. As a result of climate change in Slovakia, one can expect changes in the distribution of precipitation and moisture availability, changes in the temperature availability of crop production, changes in wintering conditions, and many others. The aim of this work was the analysis of agroclimatic indicators for the period 1961-1990 and 1991-2020. The results showed an increase in the sums of temperatures in the growing season. Also, the increase in temperature resulted in a change in the zones of the agroclimatic indicator of moisture and the agroclimatic indicator of wintering. The zones have been shifting to higher altitudes throughout Slovakia

Changes in the Agroclimatic Areas of Slovakia in 1961–2020

The World Meteorological Organisation predicts an increase in average annual temperature. As a result of climate change in Slovakia, one can expect changes in the distribution of precipitation and moisture availability, changes in the temperature availability of crop production, changes in wintering conditions, and many others. The aim of this work was the analysis of agroclimatic indicators for the period 1961–1990 and 1991–2020. The results showed an increase in the sums of temperatures in the growing season. Also, the increase in temperature resulted in a change in the zones of the agroclimatic indicator of moisture and the agroclimatic indicator of wintering. The zones have been shifting to higher altitudes throughout Slovakia

The Evaluation of the Accuracy of Interpolation Methods in Crafting Maps of Physical and Hydro-Physical Soil Properties

The goal of this study was the spatial processing and showcasing selected soil properties (available water capacity, total organic carbon content and the content of clay fraction <0.001 mm) in the Nitra River Basin (Slovakia) via the usage and the subsequent evaluation of the quality of applied interpolation methods (Spline, inverse distance weighting (IDW), Topo to Raster). The results showed the possibilities of “conversion” of point information obtained by field research as well as research in the laboratory into a spatial expression, thus providing at least relevant estimation of the soil properties even in localities not directly covered by soil sampling. Based on the evaluation and mutual comparison of the accuracy of the used interpolation methods (by using the so-called cross-validation and trust criteria), the most favorable results were achieved by the Spline method in the GRASS GIS environment, and in the ArcGIS environment. When comparing the measured and estimated values of given soil properties at control points, the interpolated values classified as very accurate up to accurate prevailed in the verification dataset. Qualitatively less favorable (but still acceptable) were the results obtained with Topo to Raster (ArcGIS) interpolation method. On the contrary, the Spline method in the ArcGIS environment turned out to be the least accurate. We assume that this is most likely not only a consequence of insufficient density of points (resources), but also an inappropriate implementation of the method into the ArcGIS environment

Impact of climate change on vegetation period of basic species of vegetables in Slovakia

The aim of the paper is to provide climatic data from the basic elements and characteristics of the energy balance in terms of the current state and in terms of trends and assumptions of their future changes in Slovakia. Climate change affect agriculture and its procedures. Changes in vegetation period in Slovakia of selected vegetables are presented in this study. We used for agro-climatic analysis one hundred climatological stations, which were selected to cover all agricultural regions up to 800 m a.s.l. Actual data and predictions were compared with time period 1961–2010. Due to homogeneity in data measurements, was chosen this period. We obtained climate trends and assumed map outputs of future climate changes by mathematical-statistical methods for horizons of years 2011–2020, 2041–2050, 2071–2080 and 2091–2100. We analysed vegetation period changes of selected fruit vegetables, Brassica vegetables and root vegetable in field conditions with prediction to year 2100. In our results is shown the earlier beginning of vegetation period in a spring and later end in an autumn in last 30 years. The vegetation period is getting longer about 15–20 days for Capsicum annuum; 15–20 days for Brassica oleracea var. capitate; 10–15 days for Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris with comparation of nowadays situation and period 2091–2100